Louisiana
Bill moves forward to shield Louisiana records from out-of-state residents
BATON ROUGE (WVUE) – A bill moving through the legislature would prevent non-Louisiana residents from requesting public records in the state.
Senate Bill 423 by Monroe Republican Senator Jay Morris, as it is written, would shield all records in Louisiana from being requested by non-residents.
An out-of-state resident who said she struggled to get a copy of her police report had a warning for Louisiana residents: be aware of what’s happening at the state capitol.
“It was pretty awful,” said Samantha Brennan of her experience dealing with records in Louisiana.
Brennan was a student at LSU who worked part-time in the football recruiting office.
She said one of the star players on the team took a partially nude photo of her without consent and shared it around the team.
She filed a report with campus police, and later moved out of state. Brennan said, after reading allegations from other women against the same individual, she decided to come forward, but had difficulty accessing her report.
“I called, spoke with [the woman]. She asked me for my name, my birthday and my social security card and said, ‘I’m having trouble finding it,’” Brennan said. “Then I knew I had a problem. This is a red flag.”
LSU didn’t budge on releasing the report.
“We had to sue for my police report,” Brennan said.
After a lawsuit was filed, and Brennan spoke in front of the legislature, the university released the report to her and apologized.
“Without that police report, I don’t really have any for sure credibility behind what I was trying to bring to the table,” Brennan said.
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First Amendment attorney Scott Sternberg said it is vital to allow out-of-state residents to view and receive public records from Louisiana in some circumstances.
“I think it would really be an injustice if those folks out of state couldn’t access those vital records, and I know that’s going to get fixed,” Sternberg said.
Sternberg said he’s confident Morris’ bill will be amended prior to final passage.
Morris, appearing in a Senate committee on Wednesday, defended moving the bill forward with the same rationale used by Governor Jeff Landry to defend other public records bills.
“Agencies are often harassed with multiple requests. My understanding is often they are even automatically generated,” he told senators. “Public records requests have become an industry.”
Morris, and Landry, are referring to out-of-state actors who may submit requests as a tactic to create a heavier workload.
“No matter what anybody says on the radio or on television, the bad actors here are not the reporters,” Sternberg said. “They’re people who are loading them up with public records requests, they’re usually PACs, political operations.”
Morris’ bill was reported favorably out of the committee, but with a draft amendment to allow out-of-state requesters access to “readily available” records.
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Yasin Gungor
19 April 2026•Update: 19 April 2026
At least eight children were killed and two others were wounded in a shooting in the US state of Louisiana, local police said Sunday.
Shreveport Police Department spokesperson Christopher Bordelon said officers responded to the shooting just after 6 am (1100GMT), following a domestic disturbance call.
The age of the deceased ranged from one to 14 years, he said, adding that the incident involved at least 10 individuals across four separate locations.
The suspect attempted to flee by carjacking a vehicle and driving to neighboring Bossier City, where police located and shot him dead.
Bordelon said Shreveport police officers pursued the suspect’s vehicle into Bossier, where three officers discharged their firearms, killing him. He said investigators believe the suspect was the only person who opened fire at the locations.
Shreveport Mayor Tom Arceneaux described the attack as “maybe the worst tragic situation we’ve ever had,” adding: “It’s a terrible morning.”
No immediate information was available about the condition of the injured.
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When it comes to retiring, the best places to do so often are affordable, have a high quality of life and access to quality healthcare.
If you’re looking for a place to retire, Niche has identified the best places for retirees in Louisiana.
In its list, Niche has taken into account factors like weather, crime rates, housing costs and access to amenities.
The 5 best places to retire in Louisiana according to Niche
These are the top five best places to retire in Louisiana, according to Niche.
1. Oak Hills Place
Oak Hills Place is a suburb of Baton Rouge and is the overall best place to retire in Louisiana. This suburb, located in East Baton Rouge Parish, has a population of 9,038 and offers residents an urban suburban mix feel. The area is highly rated for families, diversity, as well as health and fitness. Here, the median home value is $437,900 and the median rent is $1,422, according to Niche.
2. Westminster
Westminster is another suburb of Baton Rouge and is the second-best place to retire in Louisiana. Located in East Baton Rouge Parish, this suburb has a population of 2,559 and offers residents an urban suburban mix feel. This area is highly rated for nightlife, diversity, families, health and fitness, as well as commute. The median home value here is $266,100 and the median rent is $1,482, says Niche.
3. River Ridge
River Ridge is a suburb of New Orleans, located in Jefferson Parish, and is the third-best place to retire in Louisiana. This suburb has a population of 13,312 and offers residents a dense suburban feel. The area is highly rated for public schools, family, nightlife and diversity. The median home value is $357,400 and the median rent is $1,127, according to Niche.
4. Westlake
Westlake is a town in Calcasieu Parish that is among the best places to retire in Louisiana. With a population of 4,743, this town offers residents a rural feel. The town is highly rated for public schools, housing, families, jobs, cost of living, nightlife and weather. Here, the median home value is $166,100 and the median rent is $1,049, says Niche.
5. Prien
Prien is another town in Calcasieu Parish that is among the best places to retire in Louisiana. This town has a population of 7,119 and offers residents a suburban rural mix feel. The town is highly rated for public schools, housing, families, nightlife and weather. The median home value here is $278,000 and the median rent is $1,292, according to Niche.
Presley Bo Tyler is the Louisiana Deep South Connect Team reporter for USA Today Network. Find her on X @PresleyTyler02 and email at PTyler@Gannett.com
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